Palau de la Virreina, Barcelona: All year

If you find yourself ambling down Las Ramblas, you will not be able to miss this ostentatious baroque/ rococo style palace. Just a little further up from La Boqueria market on your left, La Virreina Palace is set slightly further back than all the other buildings on the street, already stating its superiority. It’s decorative facade is topped off with an ornamental balustrade which stretches the entire perimeter of the roof terrace, with twelve stone-carved vases standing proudly on top.

Stepping inside the inner courtyard allows us to see the full extent of the wealth that was put into this palace, with myriad arched doorways, and two huge marble staircases which curve around to meet in the middle on the first floor.

The palace was built for Manuel Amat i Junyent, a successful Catalan military officer who was made Viceroy of Peru in 1761, and made his fortune in the silver mines there. The palace was completed in 1778, but unfortunately, the Viceroy was unable to enjoy it for long as he died 4 years after. He left the palace to his widow Maria Francesca Fiveller, after whom the locals renamed it the Vicereine’s Palace.

Nowadays the palace is home to the Centre de la Imatge, which displays a variety of high quality, stimulating modern art exhibitions, and give the building a fresh lease of life. Be sure to take a look at what’s on currently on our website!

La Virreina Centre de la Imatge

La Rambla, 99. 08002 Barcelona

Opening times:

Tuesday - Sunday (including public holidays), from 12:00 - 20:00

Free entry